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POLITICO 44

President Barack Obama’s hometown allies have brought Chicago to the brink of landing the 2016 Olympic Games, but after Obama makes the city’s case before the International Olympic Committee Friday morning in Copenhagen, the president’s own legacy will become inextricably intertwined with the fate of Chicago’s bid.

History has shown that’s not always a good thing.

Much has been made of the potential international embarrassment and Republican attacks Obama might endure if the IOC rejects his pitch. Any such backlash would very likely have limited shelf life, but a successful outcome in Copenhagen could arm opponents with ammunition for more than six years, particularly if preparations for the Chicago Games were beset by the delays, cost overruns and controversies that have plagued Olympics past.

Add the reputation for political corruption in Chicago and Illinois, and you’ve got the basis for a joke making the rounds in Copenhagen, where the IOC also will vote on whether to include rugby and golf in the 2016 Olympics.

“If they’re going to add a new sport for the Chicago Olympics, corruption would be a great one — they’re really good at that,” said David Wallechinsky, vice president of the International Society of Olympic Historians, which is meeting in Copenhagen.

In all seriousness, Wallechinsky said, “I would assume that if Chicago gets the games, Obama would say ‘great’ and then move on and try to stay clear of it for six years. I would if I were him.”

But it would be hard for Obama to do that, even if he had stayed home from Copenhagen, as the White House initially signaled he would, according to Ben Joravsky, a veteran columnist for the liberal newsweekly Chicago Reader. He predicts the Games will shred the city’s parks, drain its tax dollars and become a patronage vehicle for the political machine headed by Chicago Mayor and Obama supporter Richard Daley.

“Obama got out of the swamp. Now why would he want to dive back in?” said Joravsky, who — in a column urging Obama to skip Copenhagen — wrote: “Once you make a grand pitch for Daley's games, they'll become your games too. Every scandal, cost overrun, and delay (and you were around this town long enough to know there will be plenty of each) will be laid at your feet by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and all your other haters.”

National Republicans and local Chicago Olympics opponents have already signaled their desire to use Chicago’s bid and Obama’s connections to it to try to taint him. If Chicago wins, they’ll have plenty of opportunity, since the president and his hometown allies maintain strong political, personal and economic links to the effort.

White House spokesman Ben LaBolt dismissed such attacks as coming from critics “who would say anything to score political points, even if it mean rooting for other countries to win their bids by spreading misinformation about America’s bid.”

To be sure, there are potentially huge benefits for Chicago (which Olympic boosters say will reap new parks and other public facilities funded by private capital), Illinois (which they project could see $22.5 billion of economic development and thousands of jobs from the Games) and Obama.

Not only would a win in Copenhagen give the president a symbolic boost at a time when his administration is struggling to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system, refine its military strategy in Afghanistan and deal with sky-high unemployment, but it could also provide a kind of capstone for his presidency.

The opening ceremonies would be held in the waning months of a potential Obama second term in an 80,000-seat facility to be built in Washington Park — blocks from the Obama family’s Hyde Park home.

Readers' Comments (1094)

Of fer Pete's sake. Obama is supposed to always be thinking about the most politically expedient thing? or what the pundits will say? The guy couldn't make a move if he felt that way. I'm pretty sure he doesn't give a rat's @ss what y'all think.

I am sure President Obama is only thinking about one thing JOBS. This will not only help the city of Chicago but many other communities across many states who also need to put their people back to work. The midwest as a whole will see a lot of investment in infrastructure and an influx of tourists, helping showcase what a special part of America we sometimes take for granted. It is a sad day in America when one political party, the GOP, only thinks about SCORING CHEAP POLITICAL POINTS instead of thinking about how Americans are struggling and how they need decent jobs to put food on the table. WHERE WAS THE GOP (AND THEIR MOUTHPIECE "FIXED NEWS") OUTRAGE WHEN THE ECONOMY HAD JUST CRASHED AND BUSH WAS TAKING A 4 DAY OLYMPIC VACATION? WHAT A HARD WORKER... NOT !

ANOTHER KID BEAT TO DEATH IN THE MESSIAH'S HOME TOWN. WHY IN THE CORN-BREAD HELL WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO COME TO CHICAGO? BRING HOME SOME MORE TROOPS AND SEND THEM IN. WHEN THEY GET DONE THEY SHOULD THEN ALL RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFICE. IF THEY CAN VOLUNTEER TO GET THEIR ASSES SHOT OFF THEY CAN VOLUNTEER TO GO TO D.C. AND CLEAN HOUSE WHILE THEY STILL HAVE THEIR IDEALS. HOOAH.

Not just tied to the Olympics he has personalized his ties to Chicago and Illinois politics in every way. His is the politics of Me and while many of us are tired of "me" and his mistakes such as at the UN, Europe may still buy in to "Me." Me is becoming a symbol of spending and voting "present" with the American future.

Alot of us hope he fails. This is a product of the extreme partisanship and controversial governance of Obama. He was the single most liberal Senator with a more liberal record than socialist Sanders. It would be like if Sen. Coburn or Imhofe was President. He governs like his idealogy is shown in his Senate career. He won only by outspending McCain 5 to 1 and relentlessly playing the race card. His surrogates to this day still do it (think Carter). All of Europe turns right and Obama insisits on governing hard left. It all comes full circle.

Obama is tied to this jobless economy. 10% unemployment within a month. His stimulus is a waste or worse and Obama's poll numbers will mirror the U.S. Dollar's decline Pretty soon Obama will do for America what he did for Chicago.

I have always thought that the US should be more like Sweden, Denmark and Norway rather than like Texas. That is what I mean by social democracy--that America should be more like Canada and Scandinavia and less like Texas.